“We’ll try to wake her now,” he tells me, eyes on the monitors showing Hailey’s vitals. “She might be a little disoriented but she should be calm.”
He spares me a nervous glance as if checking I heard him and won’t tackle him for going near my girl, then juts his chin at the IV stand. The nurse moves in, altering the dosage.
It takes mere moments before Hailey starts waking. Her fingers flex around mine, her eyelashes quiver, and those beautiful steel-blue irises glance around the room. I see the moment when the memories wash over her as clearly as if she’s told me.
Her lips part, fear clouding her vision. She tries speaking but only manages a croaked, incomprehensible whisper.
“You’re okay, pretty girl,” I say, squeezing her hand tighter. “You’re in the hospital but you’re fine. You had a panic attack.”
The doctor clears his throat, keeping to the other side of the bed as he steps closer.
If he thinks that’ll save him, he’s wrong.
“Miss—”
“Dad,” Hailey utters, searching my face for answers.
“He made it,” I say, loving the relief flooding her features. “They finished operating an hour ago. he’s recovering now.”
“I want to see him.”
“That can be arranged,” the doctor pipes in. “First, I need to make sure you’re doing okay.” He grabs the clipboard, flipping a few pages. “Can you tell me your name?”
“Hailey Scarlett Vaughn,” she recites, clearly amused. Her eyes find mine again, full of little sparkles. “I remember.”
Her glee is contagious. Not only that, but it makes the tension constricting my functions disperse and I pull in my first full breath since Vaughn’s heart stopped.
“Yes, you do,” I say, bringing her hand to my lips. “Your head’s okay, Hailey. They did some tests while you slept. There’s no swelling... no reason to worry about you forgetting me.”
“No,” she breathes, pinching her eyebrows together. “Those two years I lost... I remember. I remember everything.”
EPILOGUE
HAILEY
6 MONTHS LATER
Dad drops our empty glasses into the sink and grabs two cups, moving toward the coffee maker. I quickly check the time on my wristwatch, frowning at the late hour.
It feels like Broadway brought me here just moments ago, but my time with Dad is almost up.
“I don’t think I have time for coffee,” I say, watching Dad maneuver his wheelchair around the kitchen.
One of the bullets Rhett sent his way exited through his back and shattered his spine. He’s paralyzed from the waist down but copes surprisingly well. After his years of active service, I expected him to have a hard time adjusting. Not only to his new mobility, but also his lack of job. He officially retired from the force as per Carter’srequest.
But Dad’s resilient. Or maybe he’s simply grateful for the second chance and an opportunity to right his wrongs.
“Carter will be here soon,” I add, watching Dad’s face fall.
He motions at Broadway’s car parked by the curb, the driver inside, eyes scanning the street. “Then why did he bring you?”
“You know Carter doesn’t leave me without security.”
“Still? He’s the boss now, isn’t he? Is there a threat I should be aware of? Are you safe?”
I nod, busying my hands with redoing my ponytail. “I’m safe. Carter’s just... overprotective.”
Dad pulls a disgruntled face even though we both know he’s secretly glad that someone’s always looking out for me.
